Ringland quits UUP over stance on GAA

[Eamonnca1]

The Irish Times - Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Ringland quits UUP over stance on GAA

GERRY MORIARTY

FORMER IRELAND rugby international Trevor Ringland, who stood against Peter Robinson in East Belfast in this year's Westminster elections, has resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party.

He confirmed yesterday that he has stood down from the UUP over new party leader Tom Elliott's refusal to take up his offer to bring him to next year's All-Ireland GAA football final if an Ulster team qualified.

Mr Ringland told The Irish Times it was not beyond the bounds of possibility that he would rejoin the UUP if Mr Elliott moderated his position on the GAA. "But whatever happens I will not be standing for the Ulster Unionist Party in next May's Assembly elections," he said.

Mr Ringland, who is heavily involved in cross-community work, said Mr Elliott's refusal to be more open to the GAA was the "tipping point" in his decision to resign from the party.

Mr Ringland, a solicitor who stood in East Belfast in the recent Westminster election, which Naomi Long won for the Alliance Party, said that in terms of community relations, the public was ahead of the politicians. He believed that Mr Elliott as new UUP leader should have demonstrated that the UUP would take the lead on tackling sectarianism.

"We are a deeply divided society, yet politicians are pressing the old buttons and that needs to be challenged," he said.

"I wanted a leader who was confident in himself, who would say if he was invited to a GAA match, that he would have the confidence to go there.

"The GAA has changed over the years, as have many people, and it is important that we recognise and reciprocate that change," said Mr Ringland.

Mr Elliott said he was disappointed by Mr Ringland's decision. "I have the utmost respect for Trevor and recognise that we are broadly in agreement on the vast majority of issues," he said.

"My feeling is that Trevor found himself cornered on an issue – an issue which I do not believe necessitated his resignation."

Maith an fear, Trevor. You're ahead of your time.

[An Gaeilgoir]

The Irish Times - Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Ringland quits UUP over stance on GAA

GERRY MORIARTY

FORMER IRELAND rugby international Trevor Ringland, who stood against Peter Robinson in East Belfast in this year's Westminster elections, has resigned from the Ulster Unionist Party.

He confirmed yesterday that he has stood down from the UUP over new party leader Tom Elliott's refusal to take up his offer to bring him to next year's All-Ireland GAA football final if an Ulster team qualified.

Mr Ringland told The Irish Times it was not beyond the bounds of possibility that he would rejoin the UUP if Mr Elliott moderated his position on the GAA. "But whatever happens I will not be standing for the Ulster Unionist Party in next May's Assembly elections," he said.

Mr Ringland, who is heavily involved in cross-community work, said Mr Elliott's refusal to be more open to the GAA was the "tipping point" in his decision to resign from the party.

Mr Ringland, a solicitor who stood in East Belfast in the recent Westminster election, which Naomi Long won for the Alliance Party, said that in terms of community relations, the public was ahead of the politicians. He believed that Mr Elliott as new UUP leader should have demonstrated that the UUP would take the lead on tackling sectarianism.

"We are a deeply divided society, yet politicians are pressing the old buttons and that needs to be challenged," he said.

"I wanted a leader who was confident in himself, who would say if he was invited to a GAA match, that he would have the confidence to go there.

"The GAA has changed over the years, as have many people, and it is important that we recognise and reciprocate that change," said Mr Ringland.

Mr Elliott said he was disappointed by Mr Ringland's decision. "I have the utmost respect for Trevor and recognise that we are broadly in agreement on the vast majority of issues," he said.

"My feeling is that Trevor found himself cornered on an issue – an issue which I do not believe necessitated his resignation."

Maith an fear, Trevor. You're ahead of your time.

Good to see a politician finally standing up for what he believes in. A rare breed indeed. Fair play to him.

[Zapatista]

Maith an fear, Trevor. You're ahead of your time.

I'd have thought elliot is behind the times.

[Jinxy]

Fair play to him.

[ziggysego]

Paula Bradshaw has quit this morning too.

[boojangles]

Fair play to him as right.

[Maguire01]

Paula Bradshaw has quit this morning too.

Nothing to do with the GAA though.

[muppet]

Maith an fear, Trevor. You're ahead of your time.

Good to see a politician finally standing up for what he believes in. A rare breed indeed. Fair play to him.

Actually I'm more impressed that he stood up for what he probably doesn't believe in, in the interests of all of the community.

[5 Sams]

Ringland was never really a politician anyway....he always struck me as a pretty normal person.

[Santino]

Glad this story is getting plenty of main stream coverage.
My hats off to you Trevor!

[RadioGAAGAA]

Fair play to him.


Most try to weasel out of it, but he's put his money where his mouth is so to speak.

[Bensars]

Heard Ringland on a radio interview about a year ago and his big thing was cross community and the importance sport can be in uniting people. He has first hand experience from the rugby set up. The problem is that one voice will be viewed as an eccentric and it will force the remaining traditionalists to harden their stance as a point of principle, or to be percieved as united on a topic that has widespread party support. Whilst encouraging it will most likely stop others from uttering the same request put forward by Ringland

[snoopdog]

If both sides were as accomodating as Mr Ringland it would be a far better place. The GAA are doing a lot of work in trying to get unionism away from the view that it was once a recruiting ground for the
ira, in my opinion it never was.
But attitudes need to change and if changing names of grounds from Republican names is required then so be it.
Obviously we should not forget our past but a peaceful future and a sporting organisation for all would be a better legacy for the communities of the north and our children.
it will take years for unionism to get away from the bitterness it holds towards Nationalist people and their heritage.

[Maguire01]

Maith an fear, Trevor. You're ahead of your time.

Good to see a politician finally standing up for what he believes in. A rare breed indeed. Fair play to him.

Actually I'm more impressed that he stood up for what he probably doesn't believe in, in the interests of all of the community.

I think you're doing him a disservice. The interests of all of the community is exactly what he does believe in. As well as the important role of sport in achieving that. What would be the point in standing up for something you didn't believe in?

[ziggysego]

Paula Bradshaw has quit this morning too.

Nothing to do with the GAA though.

Not directly, no. However it's a tell-tale sign that there's divisions with the UUP. The traditional members and the more liberal members. If you call treating their Catholic and/or Nationalists neighbours as equals.